In the context of the Dred Scott case, what does the term 'obiter dictum' refer to?
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Correct answer: Comments in an opinion that are not necessary to the decision
Critics argued that once Taney ruled the Court lacked jurisdiction because Scott wasn't a citizen, the rest of his opinion (striking down the Missouri Compromise) was 'obiter dictum.' This meant they believed the ruling on slavery in territories was an unnecessary political statement.
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More Dred Scott v. Sandford questions
- What was the 'Freeport Doctrine' and how did it relate to the Dred Scott case?
- Why did the Supreme Court take the Dred Scott case despite the Missouri Supreme Court already ruling against Scott?
- How did the Dred Scott decision affect the 1860 Presidential Election?
- Which specific clause of the Constitution did Taney interpret as protecting a slaveholder’s right to bring property into any territory?
- What happened to Dred Scott shortly after the Supreme Court issued its ruling?
- The Dred Scott decision is often cited as a contributing factor to the start of the Civil War because it: